Construction is beginning this week on Main Street and alley improvements as part of the next phase of the Destination Downtown infrastructure improvements scheduled for Crozet. The project includes construction of a new road, called Main Street, as called for in the Master Plan and significant improvements to the alley leading from the new road to the Square in downtown Crozet.

The new Main Street, which will be 380 feet in length in this initial phase, will have 3 lanes to accommodate an east-bound thru lane, a left-turn lane, and a west-bound (or right-turn) lane at the intersection with Crozet Avenue, at a future intersection with a street connection to The Square, and at a future intersection with High Street. Bicycle lanes, landscape/planting strips, pedestrian scale streetlights, and sidewalks are provided on both sides of the street.

Also as part of the project, the existing alley (between Main St and The Square) will be paved and a portion of the paved width will be striped for pedestrians/bicycles with pedestrian scale streetlights. The remaining width will allow for intermittent two-way movement consistent with the function of an alley.

“The Main Street project is the first is a series of critical improvements which creates a logical network of streets and sidewalk connections to enhance mobility in downtown Crozet for both vehicles and pedestrians,” said Bill Letteri, Director of Facilities Development for Albemarle County. “This project represents part of the County’s effort to create an economically viable and attractive downtown experience for businesses, residents and visitors.

Work on the project is beginning this week with the installation of preliminary erosion and sediment control measures and grading and excavation work. Construction is not expected to have a significant impact on day-to-day activities in Crozet, but there will be short periods when alley access is affected as well as limited interruption to traffic on Crozet Avenue. Once those activities are scheduled more definitely, that information will be shared with the public. The project is estimated to be completed by early December, 2010.

This project is a significant step towards realizing the Master Plan’s vision for downtown Crozet, with additional projects including a stormwater basin and construction of a parking lot as the first phase of the library project scheduled to get underway later this fall.